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The Fiery Touch

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Deane is director of The Times Test Kitchen

Puttanesca sauce is a delicious, quick, tomato-based sauce that gets its distinctive flavor from olives, anchovies, capers and red pepper flakes. To retain the integrity of the sauce yet keep it low in fat, I use ripe olives packed in water instead of oil-packed olives and just enough anchovies for flavor. The capers and their juice add flavor without fat.

Roasting the tomatoes over an open flame like a gas burner until blackened adds flavor; leaving on some of the skin will enhance the taste even more. Besides, I like the look of a few pieces of charred tomato in the sauce.

PASTA ALLA PUTTANESCA

2 pounds tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup minced shallots

Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil

1/2 cup ripe olives

6 anchovy filets, drained and minced

1 tablespoon capers, plus 1 teaspoon juice

Salt

Crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 pound angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Roast tomatoes on long-handled fork over flame of gas burner until charred on all sides. Or broil in oven, turning until charred on all sides. Remove skins and core, seed and dice.

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Saute garlic and shallots over medium heat in wok or heavy skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or misted with olive oil until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers and juice from capers. Saute until sauce forms, 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and and red pepper flakes.

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain. Divide pasta among plates and spoon sauce over. Garnish with basil.

4 servings. Each serving:

320 calories; 551 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2.44 grams fiber.

*

Cucina Fresca bowl by Vietri from Pottery Shack, Laguna Beach, and Ports o’ Call, Pasadena.

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